PACT

The legal battle over Alabama's financially troubled prepaid college tuition program is headed back to the Alabama Supreme Court. A Montgomery judge ruled Monday that a law passed by the Legislature in the spring to permit reduced tuition payments is constitutional. The state Supreme Court had asked Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick to review the law before the high court considers it. If the Supreme Court agrees with Hardwick, then the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Plan will be able to pay reduced rates rather than full tuition.

The Alabama Supreme Court has reopened a lawsuit over whether Alabama's prepaid college tuition program can pay less than full tuition for students.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday told a lower court to look at whether state officials can retroactively apply a new law passed by the Legislature to allow reduced tuition payments. A plan to provide reduced payments was struck down by the Supreme Court in March and then the Legislature passed a law in April to try to save it.